The new Disney Channel animated princess TV movie Sofia The First: Once Upon A Princess is a hit, debuting with a total of 5.2 million viewers Sunday night. The movie, which features the voices of Ariel Winter, Sara Ramirez, Tim Gunn and Wayne Brady, was also the top cable telecast for kids aged 2-5 of the past five years. It will re-air on Disney Channel all week long.

The good showing, after weathering earlier controversy, seems to bode well for an animated series about Sofia scheduled to start in January (a specific premiere date will be announced soon). The series will “continue Sofia’s journey of becoming the best she can be, with relatable situational stories, set in a magical world of castles, wizards and flying horses, designed to provide kids 2-7 fundamental lessons about developing social skills,” according to the press release.

Did you watch Sofia? Did it live up to your expectations? Any hopes for the series?